CONFLICT FEARED IN ADDISON CASE

Art BarnumCHICAGO TRIBUNE

Fearing future claims of conflict-of-interest, DuPage Judge Peter Dockery on Monday ordered attorneys in the public defender's office to seek a hearing to discuss possible problems that might arise because the office represents two of the defendants in the Debra Evans murder case.

Defendant Jacqueline Williams is represented by a team of public defenders headed by Stephen Baker, the appointed head of the department. Defendant Fedell Caffey is represented by a team headed by W. Jameson Kunz, a senior county assistant public defender who came to the DuPage office several years ago after serving as a criminal public defender in Cook County.

Baker told Dockery that he believed the two sets of attorneys could function independently, "with separate investigators, separate offices and even separate secretaries."

The third defendant, Laverne Ward, has hired a private attorney.

Since Baker is Kunz' supervisor, Dockery said he wants to make sure that everyone would be adequately represented at a trial.

John Kinsella, deputy chief criminal prosecutor, said he saw no apparent conflict at this point, and called both Baker and Kunz "seasoned" criminal defense attorneys.

Having a public defender's office represent two criminal defendants in the same trial is a common occurrence, but it isn't unusual for a judge to also appoint a private attorney if it is believed the two defendants might incriminate each other.